


Embers

by SpiritSoul



Series: Crescendo [6]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band), Priest (Sweden Band)
Genre: Angels, Arguing, Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood Magic, Breaking and Entering, Christianity, Churches & Cathedrals, Disclaimer, Drinking, Familiars, Fire Powers, Fluff, Hallucinations, Light Angst, Magic, Memories, Menstruation Kink, Monsters, Past Lives, Past Relationship(s), Secrets, Smoking, Smut, Summoning, Violence, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-02
Updated: 2019-07-15
Packaged: 2020-01-01 07:01:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18330995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiritSoul/pseuds/SpiritSoul
Summary: Some flames never go out





	1. Flames of Anger

**Author's Note:**

> DISCLAIMER: In light of both past and recent tragedies, I felt that this needed to be said. This part of Crescendo contains scenes involving breaking into and attempting to destroy a church. I do not encourage nor condone such actions at any religious site, regardless of the beliefs. This story is purely for entertainment so I ask that you do not attempt to replicate any scenes from it.
> 
> If you are thinking of resorting to violence to get any sort of point across, DON'T. You are not only going to cause suffering to innocent people, but you will also only spread fear. The world has gone through enough senseless violence from people of all kinds. No one group is free of guilt here.
> 
> Again, this story is purely for entertainment. 
> 
> Thank you.

The attacks were becoming a more common occurrence after rituals. Every night, Papa and the Ghouls had at least one monster to deal with, and the kind of creature they were forced to face would be different every time. Some had been winged, others had massive claws or immense speed. Regardless, it had been clear that all of them had been sent by Michael with the sole intention of destroying them.

“You would think…” Alpha said, closing the Factorem Elixir after he finished translating yet another chapter. “...that angel would stop being a coward and show his face already.”

Emeritus sighed, running his fingers through his hair as he leaned back in his seat. 

“You and I are both well aware that Michael is no coward,” he replied. “Far from it. If anything, he’s likely waiting for what he feels is the perfect chance to strike, while using his monsters to test our strength. They have grown stronger since last time.”

The Fire Ghoul snickered. “Well, when he does finally decide to show up-” He reached down and produced his lighter from his pocket. “I’ll burn those wings of his to a crisp!”

Papa couldn’t help but smile a little. “Now now, you know I’ve always loved your ambition, Alpha. But please, let’s not get too full of ourselves.”

The smirk remained on Alpha’s face as he put the lighter back. Before long, the two of them felt the tour bus slowly come to a stop. Emeritus cast a quick glance out the window.

“Looks like we’re here.”

The two of them rose to their feet. Alpha grabbed the backpack that had been placed next to him and carefully put his books inside. After ensuring he had all he needed, he pulled the straps over his shoulders and proceeded to join the others near the front of the bus. Emeritus watched him go, but did not join his acolytes. He had someone he needed to check up on first. 

Silently, the dark pope made his way over to the back, where the bunk beds were. He walked towards one with the curtain drawn, and gently moved it aside a little. His brow furrowed a little as he lowered his voice. “...Ghuleh?”

He only got a groan in response. Cadence was currently curled up on her side, clutching her abdomen.

The dark pope moved the curtain aside a little more. “Still bad?”

She turned to look at him, her face clearly hinting at the pain she was feeling. A second later, she shut her eyes, tensing up again.

“Why do I have to go through this every month?!” she groaned. “I’m not even able to have kids!”

Gently, Papa placed a hand on the young acolyte’s shoulder, attempting to provide as much comfort as he could. This time of the month was always really difficult for her. “If you want, I could ask Mist if she has anything that could help you feel better.”

Cadence blinked, taking a moment to process what the dark pope was saying. “That…” She breathed a sigh of relief as the stabbing pain momentarily subsided. “That would be nice.” A smile spread across her lips as she met his mismatched eyes again. “Thank you.”

“Of course, darling. Anything for you.” Smiling, he leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead before heading back the way he came to rejoin the Ghouls.

Minutes passed before Cadence was finally able to bring herself to get up. Slowly, she got out of the bed, put her shoes back on, then made her way over to the main area of the tour bus. Most of the others had already left with some of their things, leaving just her and Alpha onboard. Upon noticing Cadence enter, the Ghoul folded his arms across his chest.

“Well, look who finally decided to get up,” he stated, glaring. “You know, I’m pretty sure the others would have greatly appreciated it if you actually bothered to help. Lat flicka.”

Cadence opened her mouth to object, but quickly shut it and forced herself to be quiet. These insults were nothing new. Ever since her induction into the clergy, the girl just couldn’t seem to get on Alpha’s good side no matter what she did. Still, despite being used to the constant gibes, they still angered the young acolyte greatly. She watched as the Ghoul took his suitcase out of the overhead compartment.

“You know, I used to rank above you,” she stated. “It would be nice if you showed me a little more of that same respect.”

Alpha’s eyes widened and he gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest as he set his suitcase down.

“Well excuse me, Countess! I suppose you’d also like it if I scattered rose petals in your path and carried you across the parking lot so you wouldn’t get your precious little feet wet.”

Cadence took a sharp breath as her hands clenched into fists, irked by the mockery of her old title. She did her best to stand tall despite the height difference between the two of them. She blurted out her next sentence without thinking. “If this were Opus, I’d have you whipped for that remark.”

Alpha sneered. “Oh yes, you would have, wouldn’t you?” He boldly took a step forward, towering over her. “But this is the Meliora Era now. And last I checked, you’re all goody two-shoes at the moment. I don't see any remnants of the countess or warrior you once were. You really expect me to bow down to a child?”

The young acolyte gritted her teeth. “I'm over four hundred!”

Another mocking laugh. “Well you certainly don't act like it.”

“Still older than you!” Cadence yelled, growing increasingly frustrated.

“Well, maybe when you start acting more like Kerstin you’ll change my mind. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon. You’ll just keep clinging to Papa like an unbearable parasite.”

Cadence’s face started turning red. “You don’t even-”

“That's ENOUGH!”

Both acolytes immediately ceased their quarrel and turned, finding that Emeritus had rejoined them. The dark pope folded his arms across his chest as he met their eyes, frowning.

“Cadence, grab your things and come with me. And Alpha…” He paused, seeming to take a moment to ponder over his words. After a moment, he sighed, calming down a little. “We’ll talk later.”

The young acolyte watched Emeritus leave before returning her attention to Alpha. Her eyes glanced up towards the overhead compartment above her, which she was too short to reach.

Alpha seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. “You want me to get your bag for you, Countess?” he asked, smirking as he mocked her again.

Cadence only exhaled loudly through her nose as she glared at him, not wanting to talk anymore. She watched as Alpha reached up and grabbed her bag, eventually holding it out to her while bowing, obviously in another attempt to mock her. She pulled it out of his hands a little harder than she had intended before turning away. 

Wordlessly, she descended the steps, a mixture of anger, frustration, and disappointment burning within her like lingering flames. As she made her way towards the doors of the hotel, she did not look back at the Ghoul that watched her go.


	2. Flame of Desire

Cadence sighed in frustration as she stared up at the blank ceiling, the argument from earlier that morning still fresh in her mind.

“It’s not fair,” she said. “All I did was tell him to be a little nicer.”

Emeritus kept his back turned to her as he continued putting his things away. He was silent for a moment before speaking.

“In all honesty…” He closed the drawer in front of him and stood. “You could’ve phrased that better. It was a bit rude.”

“I wasn’t trying to be rude! I just wanted him to stop insulting me.” The young acolyte paused as Papa turned to look at her, feeling a slight mix of annoyance and guilt as she met his eyes. She quickly laid back down on the towel that had been placed beneath her and returned to gazing up at the ceiling with a sigh. “I mean, I’m sorry I’m not like Kerstin or Elizabeth. I didn’t ask to end up this way!”

Emeritus gazed at her softly, recognizing her frustration. Quietly, he made his way over to Cadence and sat down beside her. 

“Alpha has always been very focused on what happened during the previous two lifetimes,” he said. “It’s extremely difficult for him to let go of the past. We’ve all tried to help him, but sometimes…” He paused, soon shaking his head with a sigh. “It all gets the better of him, and before long it becomes all he can focus on. He’s been through so much…”

Cadence sat up a little. “So have we. We were both there even before the devil brought him and the other original ghouls into existence.”

“Yes, but you can’t tell me even you don’t long for the more peaceful nights of Opus sometimes.” 

She thought in silence for a while, reflecting on how things were during her first lifetime before the angels’ revolt. Everything had been so pleasant back then. They didn’t have any worries. Again, she sighed quietly. “You’re right…”

Noticing the hint of sadness in Cadence’s eyes, Emeritus carefully wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “I know it doesn’t excuse Alpha’s actions,” he said, leaning against her. “But it is something to keep in mind.”

Cadence nodded, finally understanding better. She continued to think back, momentarily reflecting on everything that had happened, even while she was away. Alpha had witnessed so much, just like she had. He lost many fellow Ghouls, one of which was his best friend, and saw the near destruction of their realm twice. It wasn’t right to remain angry at him forever...

Her eyes widened a little as she suddenly felt Papa gently tilt her chin up with one hand. She soon met his mismatched eyes, taking in every detail of his painted face as he tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear.

“And...as to what he was saying earlier about you…” A smile began to form on the dark pope’s face as he cupped her cheek. “Pay no attention to his words. I love you just as you are, cara.”

Cadence attempted to smile back, but a sliver of doubt still remained in her mind. She averted her gaze slightly. “...Even if I’m clingy?” she asked, voice hushed with worry.

At her question, Papa’s smile seemed to turn into a grin. Without warning, he wrapped both arms around Cadence, pushing her back down into the mattress and pillows. He chuckled upon hearing her squeak of surprise and continued smiling as he held her close.

“Is this too clingy for you?”

Before long, Cadence smiled at him and began to laugh. “No.”

The dark pope’s smile softened a little upon hearing his love’s response. Gently, he pressed his forehead to her’s as he kept her locked in his tight embrace.

“Then I don’t have a problem with you acting the same,” he murmured, placing a kiss on her cheek.

Cadence continued giggling as she wrapped her arms around Emeritus, suddenly feeling much better about everything. She quickly reciprocated, closing her eyes as she kissed him on the lips. 

Her fingers wove themselves into his raven locks, and before long she felt his hands running up and down her back. She could catch the scent of his cologne with each slow breath she took. Every light touch seemed to heighten her senses, giving her goosebumps and ultimately sparking something deep inside her. Before she even knew it, she was clinging to Emeritus as tight as she could, her kisses steadily becoming deeper and more desperate. Only one thought remained in her mind as he pulled back: she suddenly wanted him.

Papa raised his eyebrows as the grin returned to his face, immediately recognizing the change in her. “What’s brought this about?”

Cadence’s face began to turn red. “S-sorry, I just…” She nibbled her lower lip as she attempted to adjust her legs. “I…” She wanted to tell him, but the sudden wave of arousal and embarrassment caught up to her first. Fortunately, she didn’t have to say another word.

“You want me, is that it?” His thumb gently traced Cadence’s lower lip as his voice deepened slightly. “Now?”

The young acolyte felt her face begin to heat up. “I-I mean, yes but-” She winced slightly as she felt another pain in her abdomen.

Emeritus only chuckled again. “Cadence, we’ve had sex while you’re menstruating before, remember? Besides…” One hand came to rest on her arm and began to lazily rub it. “...I’ve heard orgasms are a good relief for the pain.” He raised an eyebrow at her as she took her time considering his words. After a moment, she sighed softly.

“That…” A smile returned to the young acolyte’s face as she gazed into his mismatched eyes. “That sounds nice.”

“Thought so.” Closing his eyes, he kissed her cheek before pressing his lips to her ear. “Let me know when you’re ready for me,” he whispered.

His words made Cadence shiver in anticipation. Closing her eyes, she eagerly accepted another kiss on her lips, embracing her lover and moaning softly as it deepened.

She leaned into the dark pope’s touch as his hands took their time roaming over her chest, taking extra care to fondle her breasts through her clothes. A soft sigh left past her parted lips as he kissed her neck. It felt so good already… she wanted more of him. Her brow furrowed as she arched her back, eliciting a needy whimper as her body pressed up against his.

Papa let out a soft groan from the friction. “I love it when you get like this,” he grunted, moving his gloved hands under her shirt to give her breasts more attention. “So needy at the slightest touch… so eager to indulge in sinful pleasures.”

Cadence gasped softly as the dark pope nipped her earlobe, and her eagerness grew as she felt Emeritus remove her shirt completely. Her eyes met his hungry gaze as he pinched her hardening nipples, making her bite her lower lip. His mismatched stare seemed to bore into her as he leaned back, sitting on his knees.

“I’m going to make you feel so good, Ghuleh, you won’t be able to focus on anything else.” Taking the fabric of one glove between his teeth, he held her gaze as he slowly tugged it off, the other glove quickly following suit.

Cadence held her breath as she watched Emeritus slide two of his fingers into his mouth. Her desire burned so strongly, she needed him. “P-Papa, please… I can’t take it.”

“Don’t worry, cara.” The dark pope quickly undid the button and zipper on her jeans. “I’m about to give you what you want.” He moved again, returning to looming over her as his wet fingers began to trail down from just below her breasts until they found her wet folds. He couldn’t help but grin as he teasingly tapped her clit, making her squirm momentarily. “Now, keep those lovely eyes open for me, okay?”

Cadence nodded her head, but as she opened her mouth to vocalize her response, only a moan left her as one of the dark pope’s fingers entered. Her grip on the bed sheets tightened as her body arched itself slightly, which only heightened the pleasure. She moaned his name again, beginning to writhe as his hand moved.

“You make the most beautiful sounds when you're pleased…” the dark pope murmured. He brushed some of Cadence's hair out of her face as he gazed into her lavender eyes. His eyes never wavered as he continued touching her where he knew she'd feel him most, but he pulled out before she could get close to climax. 

Cadence whimpered again, desperately wanting Emeritus to continue. She watched as he gazed at his fingers, a smile spreading across his painted face upon noticing the blood that now partially stained them red.

“Why…” She swallowed, feeling that her throat was a little dry. “Why do you all like my blood so much?”

The dark pope didn't answer her right away. His tongue darted out across his upper lip as he remained focused on the blood covering his hand. Before long, he brought it closer to his face.

“It's because of the sins that taint it,” he replied. “All those centuries of evil deeds…” He took his time inhaling the aroma, which momentarily made him shudder. “Gave it such a sweet taste…” As if he suddenly were a man dying of thirst, he proceeded to suck every last drop of blood off his fingers.

Cadence watched him in fascination for a moment, only for the intrigue to turn into shock as she realized what Papa had just done. Her body tensed up as his mismatched eyes met hers, but after a few moments of silence she realized…

“...You're okay?”

Emeritus flashed a smile at her, but it was soft and kind rather than a malicious, wicked grin.

“Yes, perfectly.”

The young acolyte blinked, confused as to why Papa's eyes weren't glowing red or why he wasn't having the desire to kill. “But-”

“Ghuleh…” The dark pope crawled back over to her and began stroking her cheek again. “Don't you remember? For the effects of your blood to work it needs to come from a battle wound. You need to be cut or stabbed with a weapon for it to work.”

Cadence couldn't help but laugh a little, feeling embarrassed that she had forgotten that fact. But, there were other things still on her mind. “Well, it certainly feels like I'm being stabbed,” she said, wincing slightly as she felt another wave of pain in her abdomen. For a moment, she was relieved that they'd put the towel under her.

“Still?” An almost mischievous look seemed to flash in the dark pope's eyes as a grin spread across his painted face once more. “Well… I think can help with that.”

Carefully, he moved back until his face was positioned between her legs. With little effort, he managed to get Cadence’s pants and underwear completely off, immediately tossing them aside before moving in close. His mismatched eyes held her gaze as his hands caressed her inner thighs. The young acolyte sighed contently, tilting her head back as Papa placed a kiss near her clit, causing her hips to shift upwards ever so slightly…

The sound of a loud thud suddenly made her jump, eyes snapping open as she sat up slightly. She turned her head to look at the wall behind her. “What was-” She gasped and gripped the bedsheets underneath her when she felt Papa nip at her thigh, the man too caught up in the moment to have noticed.

‘Must’ve just been the headboard…’ she told herself, trying to not think too much about it. Shutting her eyes again, she grabbed a fistful of Emeritus’ hair, allowing herself to once again become lost in the pleasure he was giving her. A loud moan left her as Papa's tongue worked its way up to her clit and he sucked hard. “P-papa, you're-”

She heard it again, louder this time, cutting her off mid-sentence. Her eyes snapped open as she turned to look at the wall again. It was then that she realized that the sound had come from the other side of the wall: Alpha's room.

The young acolyte cast a worried glance at Papa, who had stopped upon taking notice of the noise as well.  
“I…” Cadence paused, hesitating for a moment before gathering some of her discarded clothes from off the floor. “I'll go check on him.”

Emeritus nodded, agreeing with her. Carefully, he helped the girl with her clothes. “Okay, I'll be right behind you.”

But Cadence immediately shook her head.  
“I was… thinking it would be better if it was just me,” she said, her voice hushed. “You know, to apologize about earlier.”

The dark pope was silent for a few moments, taking the time to ponder over her words before finally nodding again. “Alright, I understand.”

Cadence turned to leave, but she had only taken a few steps before she felt Papa place a hand on her shoulder. She looked back at him, immediately seeing the brief flash of concern in his mismatched eyes.

“...If you need me for any reason, let me know okay?” he said.

Cadence couldn’t help but smile back at him. Gently, she took hold of his hand and kissed the back of it before exiting the room.

Upon stepping out into the well-lit hallway, she turned to face the door to Alpha’s room. The young acolyte started to feel a little hesitant, but she soon took a deep breath and proceeded forward, knocking on the door twice.

“...Alpha?”

Almost immediately, the door opened slowly inward, but to Cadence’s surprise there was no one standing before her. Cautiously, she peered in and found the room to be mysteriously quiet.

“...Alpha?” She repeated the Ghoul’s name again, softer this time as her nervousness began to increase. With a bit of unease she stepped into the room.

The Fire Ghoul’s room was clean, for the most part, as it appeared he hadn’t taken many of his belongings out of his bags. The bed was still freshly made, the couch cushions were all still in place, and no trash littered the floor. Only the table near the wall was disordered, as there were many papers and various open books scattered about it. Alpha must’ve been doing more work…

It was then that Cadence noticed the overturned chair, and a moment later she spotted Alpha huddled near the opposite wall, clutching his head as his back remained facing Cadence’s direction.

The young acolyte’s concern immediately increased tenfold, and she quickly hurried over to him.

“Alpha!”

The moment her hand gently touched his shoulder, he immediately jerked himself away and turned, his screaming making Cadence jump in alarm.

“Get out!” he yelled. When Cadence didn’t immediately comply, he seemed to get even more frustrated. “I said get out!”

Cadence’s eyes widened, a wave of mixed emotions crashing down on her in an instant. She opened her mouth to say something, but quickly shut herself up, deciding against it. Without saying another word, she hesitatingly did as the Fire Ghoul demanded, lowering her head as the flicker of hope that they could reconcile at the moment ultimately went out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what exactly happened to Alpha? You'll have to wait to find out. ;)


	3. Spark of Rage

Another page had been completed.

Alpha leaned back in his chair and sighed, feeling a brief sense of accomplishment. This was good. Every page of the Factorem Elixir he managed to translate brought him closer to his goal. At this rate, it was very likely that he would be able to finish the entirety of the book by the end of this tour.

After taking a moment to stretch and pace briefly around the room, the Fire Ghoul sat back down and carefully turned the worn page of the ancient book. Faded jumbles of enochian text and old, discolored illustrations stared back at him, and it took the man a moment to make sense of the symbols. He quickly picked up his pen and turned to a fresh page in his translation journal.

“Crescere…” He mumbled the name of the potion under his breath as he wrote it down, before going back to skimming through the symbols in the original text.

The overhead light above him suddenly flickered. He stopped. The surrounding air suddenly felt cooler, even though he had ensured all windows and doors had been locked.

“Why so tense, Alpha?”

He didn’t have to turn around this time to recognize it was Mercury who was speaking to him. But even with his back turned, Alpha could still feel the pair of eyes watching him. The Fire Ghoul set his pen down.

“Why are you here?” he demanded. “Why follow us across realms?”

He turned slowly, observing the masked man’s reaction. Mercury was silent, his face almost expressionless as he gazed around the room they were in. Seconds passed before he finally answered.

“...It intrigues me,” he said. “All of this.” His fingertips grazed the window curtain as he momentarily snuck a glance outside, the sunlight flickering off the multitude of spikes.

“The people of your realm appear almost identical to the individuals living in this one, and yet…” Mercury dared to pull the curtain a little farther. “...They don’t seem very eager to embrace those who possess magical abilities.”

“They shunned it centuries ago,” Alpha stated. “After forming and embracing their religions, these people deemed it unethical to practice magic. Thousands were executed after being accused.”

“How...curious.” Mercury continued to observe the bustling world below. “...And what of other realms?”

“Some went down the same path. Others learned to embrace it on their own or were influenced by their conquerors.”

Mercury remained motionless by the window a moment longer before finally pulling away. A smile spread across his face as he met Alpha’s eyes.

“That’s why I like you, Alpha,” he said. “You know so much about these other realms.”

The Fire Ghoul nearly smirked. “I’ve gained a lot of knowledge by participating in the old conquerings.”

Mercury appeared to become even more intrigued. “Have you now?”

That question made Alpha stop smiling. Why had he just revealed this info, so willingly and without hesitation, to someone he wasn’t sure he could even trust? He tensed up again, eyes widening as the realization hit him.

Mercury cocked his head curiously. “I’ve seen that expression before. Is that what they call fear, Alpha?” he asked. “But you were so eager to talk just a moment ago.”

“What did you do?” the Ghoul demanded, hands clenching into fists.

Mercury placed a hand on his chest, his fingers coming to rest on the silver pendant whose symbol matched his name.

“Me? Alpha, you gave up that information on your own.”

It took Alpha a moment to realize that perhaps Mercury was right. He had sensed zero changes in his thinking, no supernatural force taking ahold of his mind. Not like last time. And yet…

A smile formed on Mercury’s face again. The lights in the room flickered once more. “But I wonder why you were so eager just now, talking about conquering other realms?”

Alpha’s eyes widened slightly upon noticing Mercury step closer.

“Is it possible that you miss those times when you could take part in them?”

“W-what?” Alpha stepped back, growing increasingly wary under Mercury’s blank stare. The lights continued flickering above them. Before long, Mercury closed in on him.

“I think I’d like to find out.”

Fearing the worst, Alpha first instinctively reached for the phone at the edge of the desk. But Mercury was quicker, smacking the device out of the Ghoul’s hand. Almost immediately, Alpha’s hand went to his shoulder blade.

“Espe-” But before he could fully pronounce his familiar’s name, Alpha gritted his teeth as he was shoved against the wall. His hands flew to the back of his head as he dropped to his knees, feeling an aching, dull pain spread across where he had collided with the hard surface.

Without warning, Mercury disconnected the curled white cord from the phone with ease and wrapped it around the front of Alpha’s head, pressing it firmly against both temples.

“Let’s uncover these memories you’ve locked away in the shadows of your mind, shall we?”

Almost immediately, Alpha’s entire body seized up as the sensation of an electric current ran through his body, most intensely in his head. The Ghoul opened his mouth to scream, but hardly any noise left him as he tried to cry out. All the while, Mercury remained completely unfazed. The masked man’s eyes were shut in deep concentration as he held the cord with both hands. After a moment, he smiled.

“Yes… I see it now. I see the countless lands you helped shroud in your realm’s eternal darkness.” A pause soon followed. “Is that joy I sense?”

Alpha tried to move, but every attempt only seemed to send an even sharper bolt of electricity through him. It was agony, and he couldn’t scream.

“...No, it’s stronger than that. What’s the word that they use?” Mercury’s smile slowly morphed into a grin as more became revealed to him. “Elation? Yes, that must be it.” The man leaned forward slightly to speak closer to Alpha’s ear.

“How many realms did you help conquer, Alpha? I’m guessing it was never enough to fully satisfy you. Not Amare, not Pura, not Citius…”

With every realm Mercury named, Alpha recalled the battles differently. He could almost see the events play themselves out in front of him. Everything had been so different back then…

“It would only make sense for you to want to return to that time. Your realm’s current, more peaceful methods do nothing for you. I’ve seen it firsthand. At this point you’re left desperately doing whatever you can to fill the void, busying yourself as a means of distraction.”

“St-...stop…” He didn’t want to hear it.

Mercury only continued smiling. “Why deny it? You’ve known how you truly feel deep down. Your current battles do nothing for you.”

Alpha’s body twitched repeatedly as he tried to move, struggling against invisible bonds. 

“Why hold yourself back? Why not find a way to regain what you want?”

Without warning, Mercury quickly unwound the white cable from around Alpha’s head, causing the Fire Ghoul to fall. Ignoring the lingering feeling of electric shocks still pulsating throughout his body, Alpha attempted to scramble to his feet. But the strength quickly left his legs and Alpha found himself falling again, stumbling over the chair in the middle of his descent.

“You cannot quell your desire forever, Alpha.”

His head was pounding. Deep down, a part of him felt that Mercury was right. No, wait, he couldn’t be right. He couldn’t! “N-no…” Alpha’s hands flew to his head as the feeling of the electric shocks seemed to linger.

“I can give it all back to you. I can give you the thrill you’ve longed for for all these years.”

He felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder, and in that moment Alpha felt rage build up inside him like a roaring fire. He immediately jerked himself away, screaming.

“Get out!” He could see the figure standing near him out of the corner of his eye, unmoving. It infuriated him further. He wanted Mercury gone. “I said get out!”

He turned, glaring, expecting to be face-to-face with the man who was tormenting him. But in that moment, he watched as Cadence lowered her head and turned away from him. His rage was quickly replaced with regret, and he tried to stand up as the young acolyte reached the door, but failed.

The Fire Ghoul glanced around the room, finding that Mercury was still standing near the wall, his full attention focused on Cadence as she quietly left.

“She seems… different compared to the others,” Mercury remarked.

In that moment, Alpha realized something else. “She can’t see you?”

Mercury’s expression was blank again. Slowly, he turned to meet Alpha’s eyes.

“Not yet.”


	4. Reignite

Cadence sighed, a sense of relief washing over her as a smile began to spread across her face. “Thanks, Mist. I really needed that.”

The female Ghoul immediately smiled back.

“Of course! I did say you were always welcome to join me on another shopping excursion, and after what happened yesterday you certainly seemed like you needed a distraction.”

Cadence nodded in agreement, a small chuckle leaving her. “Thank Belial we still have today off.”

Before long, the two women stopped at one of the apartment room doors. Mist carefully took Cadence’s bag as the young acolyte rummaged through her pocket to grab her keycard, handing the bag back once she’d retrieved it.

“Have a good rest of your day, Cadence.”

Cadence smiled back as she watched her bandmate start to go. “You too!”

Deep down, Cadence was starting to feel better about everything. Even with her current difficult relationship with Alpha, she was glad that she could turn to her other fellow acolytes for comfort. Even so, there was one person in particular who she believed provided her with the best consolation.

She swiped the keycard once, stepping into the room after the door unlocked with a click. “Hey Papa, I’m-”

The girl stopped the moment she walked in, her smile disappearing upon noticing who else was in the room with her lover.

“Hello, Cadence. Alpha and I have been waiting for you.” The dark pope smiled at her, gesturing towards the empty seat that was near him. “Please, join us. We have important matters to discuss.”

His words sounded more like a command than an offer, causing Cadence to obey immediately. As she walked, she kept her gaze lowered, not wanting to look over at Alpha. After putting her things down, she went and sat in the chair across from Papa, situated at Alpha’s left. As she made herself comfortable, Cadence finally noticed that Papa seemed to be hiding a mixture of other emotions behind the pleasant expression on his painted face.

The dark pope’s smile disappeared as he slowly met the eyes of both his acolytes. After a moment, he spoke again.

“It has become quite apparent since the night of Cadence’s induction that the two of you have not gotten along.”

Cadence pressed her lips tightly together, not wanting to interject as she immediately realized where the conversation was headed. She snuck a quick glance over at Alpha. The Fire Ghoul paid no attention to her, instead keeping his gaze focused on the cigarette lighter he was absent-mindedly twirling between his fingers.

“We all know that given our current situation with the angels, that behavior is completely unacceptable. If we are to succeed in our battle against them, then we all need to tolerate each other.” Papa leaned back in his chair slightly, folding his gloved hands in his lap. “And considering the events that took place yesterday, it seems I have no choice but to take some important measures.”

Cadence blinked in surprise, wondering just what exactly Papa was getting at. His lecture both intrigued and unnerved her at the same time. Fortunately, she did not have to wait long to get her questions answered.

“So starting now, you two will be working alongside each other until you can sort things out.”

His words caused the Fire Ghoul to drop the lighter. He started at the dark pope in shock, mouth agape.

“...You can’t be serious.”

Papa’s expression was firm. “I am. In fact, I am sending you both out to go search for the angels yourselves.”

“What?!” Cadence nearly bolted up from her seat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

Apparently, Alpha couldn’t either. “I-I’d go if it was with one of the others, but c’mon Papa, her?!”

Papa’s face remained stoic. “You two need to learn to get along and fight together. Besides, we’re long overdue to start conducting these searches again.”

“But she can hardly fight at all anymore!” The Fire Ghoul frantically gestured in Cadence’s direction. “You saw it for yourself during the fight against Michael's griffins, remember? She can barely hold her own! She’s nothing like Kerstin!”

“Hey!” This time, Cadence stood, her hands clenching into fists. What did he know about that fight?! She'd been doing okay until the end. It wasn't like she'd been completely helpless the entire battle. And was he seriously comparing her to her past self yet again?! She opened her mouth to argue with the Ghoul, but Emeritus immediately help up a hand to silence her as he too rose to his feet.

“Then this will be beneficial.” He turned, mismatched eyes quickly meeting Cadence’s lavender ones. “For both of you.”

In the silence that fell, Cadence felt her rage begin to diminish, but deep down she was still very ticked off. She cast another glance in Alpha’s direction, immediately recognizing an equal amount of frustration present on the Ghoul’s face.

Emeritus sighed as he sat back down, running a hand through his raven-black hair.

“I have sent the location to both of your Testaments. Be ready to head out there in a few hours.” He paused, briefly glancing between the two acolytes. His gaze lingered on Cadence the longest. “But above all else, for Lucifer's sake I ask that you please be careful.”


	5. Brightly Burning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note the disclaimer at the beginning of Chapter 1

“So what is it we’re doing, exactly?”

Cadence remained silent, taking a moment to carefully choose her words as she scratched Liam behind his ears. “Papa’s… sending us on a bit of an adventure,” she answered.

The munchkin kitten’s tiny ears perked up as he tilted his head slightly. “...You mean like one of Dahlia’s adventures? With pirate hats? Or superhero capes? Or ninja masks?”

Cadence smiled at her familiar and giggled. “Not exactly.” She returned her attention to her Testament screen, gazing at the digital map Papa had sent to both her and Alpha with their destination pinpointed.

Liam moved a little closer to the device. “That red dot right there…” He tapped the screen twice with his tiny paw. “Shows you where you’re supposed to go?”

The young acolyte nodded. “Yep!”

“Then it’s kinda like a treasure map.”

Cadence laughed again. “You could say that.” She paused, taking a moment to glance at the clock near her bedside. “We should probably start heading down.”

It took her a moment, but eventually the girl forced herself to get up, much to her initial hesitance. She felt wariness begin to creep up on her as she grabbed her sheathed dagger and hid it within her clerical robes. But this nervousness wasn’t entirely due to the fact that she was being forced to work alongside an uncooperative Ghoul. No, what had her starting to worry was the realization that she could not recall much about performing these routine excursions during her previous lifetime. She knew for certain she had been a part of the search groups when she was Kerstin, but besides that Cadence could not recall any specifics. Still, she was determined to not only make Papa proud, but to also prove Alpha wrong.

After ensuring that her mask was resting on her face correctly and she had everything else she would need, Cadence gently grabbed Liam and began to carefully wrap him up in a small nearby blanket.

The calico kitten initially tried to squirm away. “Hey-!”

“Sorry, bud. But this hotel has a strict no pets rule and I can’t have you be spotted.” She paused for a moment as she took her time finishing up after Liam calmed down. “Honestly, it still baffles me how Special manages to keep you all hidden, especially with Dahlia’s energy.” Before long, she had Liam wrapped like a swaddled baby. Only problem was that his tiny ears refused to stay under the blanket. After a few failed attempts, she gave up trying to hide them.

Before long, everything was ready. The young acolyte took one last glance around the room to double-check that she had everything before she left, holding Liam close.

As she descended using the elevator, Cadence took the time to mentally prepare herself for what was about to happen. Yes, she was feeling nervous, but also strangely eager at the same time.

She exited the elevator quickly after reaching the first floor, soon finding herself outside. The young acolyte did not flinch from the sun’s rays, however, as she was finally more used to daylight without the need for sunglasses.

It wasn’t long before she spotted Alpha standing some distance away from the doors, fiddling with his own Testament. She quickly made her way over to him.

“I swear, I still don’t understand some of this software these people use on their devices…” The Ghoul tapped his screen a few more times before finally noticing her. Immediately, he frowned. “What are you doing?”

Cadence was taken aback by his question. “With what?”

The Ghoul pointed at her face. “That.” His eyes narrowed in frustration when she still didn’t seem to immediately understand what he was referring to. “Mask off. Now.”

“O-oh, right…” Cadence quickly removed her black mask, pocketing it along with her dagger.

The Ghoul gave a huff of annoyance. “You should know better than to not draw attention.”

The young acolyte lowered her head. “Sorry.”

Alpha only rolled his eyes as he pocketed his Testament. “Ride should be here sometime in the next five minutes.” Reaching into his other pocket, he produced a cigarette and his lighter before meeting Cadence’s eyes again. He quickly noticed the bundle in the girl’s arms. “Is that supposed to be Liam?”

Cadence shrugged her shoulders at his question. “Yeah, so?”

The Fire Ghoul raised an eyebrow at her. “You didn’t think to bring a bag?” he asked.

It was then that Cadence noticed a large black bag at Alpha’s feet, with a pair of bright, chartreuse eyes staring back at her from the opening. She quickly recognized that they belonged to Alpha’s familiar, Espen. The girl groaned in frustration. Why hadn’t she thought of that sooner?!

“It’s okay, Cadence! I like it here,” Liam said, snuggling deeper into the blanket he was wrapped in.

Alpha ignored the kitten’s words, choosing instead to light his cigarette and blow out a puff of smoke. “Whatever. Just stay out of my way when we get there. I don’t need you wasting my time.”

Cadence turned to glare at him. She honestly felt the same way. “Likewise.”

The Ghoul’s eyes widened at her response, and he turned to look at Cadence with a mocking smile. “Oh, wow! We actually agreed on something for once!” He reached for his Testament again, holding it up so the acolyte could see it. “Perhaps I should call Papa right now and tell him what great partners we’re already becoming!” He soon sneered at his own remark. “Who am I kidding? I’d sooner kiss your feet than do that.”

At those words, it soon became Cadence’s turn to smirk. “You used to,” she remarked, her expression clearly smug.

Her response unfortunately did not have the humiliating effect on the Ghoul she’d hoped for.

“Well, that was when you were actually worthy, Countess.” Alpha couldn’t help but give another laugh. “Seriously, wake up and maybe read what the fans actually say about you online while you’re at it.”

Cadence frowned, once again ticked off by Alpha’s repeated use of her old title. She was sick of it. Could he stop mentioning it for once? And what was he talking about with what the fans were saying about her? The girl was prepared to lash out at the Ghoul, but quickly stopped herself as she noticed a plain, silver car pull up.

Alpha blew another long puff of smoke. “Ride’s here.” After dropping the cigarette and snuffing it out with his shoe, the Ghoul carefully picked up his bag and made his way over to the vehicle. “Let’s go.”

With a sigh, Cadence followed after him, holding Liam close as she too took her seat. Only Alpha’s bag separated them as the car began to move after they’d both closed the doors and Alpha had given the driver the address. She watched the town go by, with everyone peacefully going about their lives, completely unaware of the supernatural beings who were possibly in their midst.

The young acolyte soon found herself thinking back to when she’d encountered Gabriel during the ritual back in Memphis a little more than a week ago. The angel had been walking among the other fans, and she had failed to recognize him. She’d been completely blind to the presence of her enemy until he had an opportunity to attack. A thought soon struck her. If she hadn’t been able to recognize Gabriel while out in public, even with her memories back, then what about Michael and Raphael? Who was to say they wouldn’t surprise her and the others with an ambush when they least expected it? What if one of them was watching their car go by right now? What if their driver-

She snuck a glance at the person in the front seat. No, the driver was female. Cadence breathed a sigh of relief. At least that meant there was one less thing to worry about…

A moment passed before Cadence turned away from the window again. She looked over at Alpha. The Ghoul paid no attention to her, keeping his gaze focused on the cigarette lighter he held in his hand. Cadence frowned. Alpha clearly did not wish to engage in conversation, Liam was currently asleep in her arms, and Espen-

She glanced down at the black bag that was next to her. Only the bengal cat’s pair of bright green eyes glared back. Clearly, the Fire Ghoul’s familiar did not wish to make conversation either. But then again, that was probably for the best.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence, and it wasn’t long before the car came to a stop near an intersection. As Cadence exited the vehicle, she saw that it appeared to be a part of the town that was lined with shops. At one point she even recognized the clothing store she and Mist had gone to earlier. But why would Papa have them search here, of all places? Neither she nor Mist had seen anything during their shopping trip, so why send her back with Alpha?

Alpha paid the driver and thanked them before joining Cadence, holding the bag containing Espen with one hand. “Let’s get moving. We don’t have all day.”

Immediately, Cadence followed the Ghoul as he began walking. She glanced around for a moment to ensure no one was listening before lowering her voice to talking to him. “So...why are we looking here?”

Alpha gave an irritated sigh. “You didn’t really look closely at that map Papa sent, did you?” He reached into his pocket and pulled out his Testament, displaying the map on the screen. “Our actual destination is farther up ahead. We’re going to the nearby church.”

“The church…” Oh, that made a lot more sense. The young acolyte began to feel embarrassed, but the feeling quickly went away as a thought struck her. “But that’s a public gathering place. Wouldn’t-”

“Relax. This one’s been waiting to be torn down for years. It’s practically abandoned.” Alpha put his Testament back in his pocket. “But those angels won’t let it be destroyed. They like to use old, abandoned holy sites as their hideouts. Prevents random passersby from snooping around.” A grin soon spread across the Ghoul’s face. “And gives us an opportunity to strike.”

The number of buildings and groups of people grew less frequent the farther the two of them walked. Cadence kept a close eye on her surroundings, checking for any possible presence of monsters or magic, but found none. It was comforting, but also disquieting. Before long, the church that Alpha had been referring to finally came into view, and it was then that Cadence realized that she and the Ghoul were completely alone.

It was old and weathered, almost ready to crumble, but still very ornate. The stone walls looked like they had survived through a lot, and the steeples were so high up it seemed they could touch the sky. Small statues of what Cadence assumed to be saints were scattered throughout the premises, along with tall withered flower bushes that likely suffered the summer heat earlier that year.

“...Can I put my mask back on now?” Cadence asked as she looked around.

Alpha bent down and opened up his black bag completely, allowing Espen to come out. “Yes,” was his only response as he took out his silver Ghoul mask.

Carefully, Cadence first proceeded to unwrap Liam from the blanket. The tiny munchkin squirmed in protest.

“Nooo… five more minutes…” he pleaded.

The young acolyte couldn’t help but giggle. She lightly kissed the kitten’s tiny head. “Liam, you gotta get up. We’re here,” she whispered. After completely unwrapping the blanket and gently placing Liam at her feet, Cadence proceeded to tie her mask back on.

Seeing that she was ready, Alpha handed the black bag to her after he too was finished putting his mask on. “Take these and throw them into one of those bushes over there.”

Cadence didn’t enjoy being bossed around again. It reminded her too much of Esther’s nagging back at the music store and her old apartment. But the girl chose to do as she was told, not wanting to cause anymore trouble. She tossed the bag and blanket into the nearest bush, which was a couple feet away from the building.

Liam turned his head to look up at her. “So what now?”

“I’m not quite sure…” The young acolyte glanced at her surroundings, but still found no signs of the angels’ presence anywhere. “Maybe we should look around a bit.”

The kitten happily obliged, and it wasn’t long before the two of them began searching. They walked around the perimeter, but their efforts resulted in nothing. After some time, they found themselves standing near a wall decorated with a very large, colorful stained glass window.

Cadence sighed, frustrated with the outcome. “Maybe we should just tell Papa we didn’t find anything and start head back,” she said, thinking out loud.

“Oh no, we’re staying right here.”

She turned her head, finding that Alpha had finally caught up with her. “Why? There’s nothing here.”

The Ghoul sneered, leaning against the stone wall as he folded his arms across his chest. “That’s because you’re not doing this right.”

“Oh really?” Cadence raised an eyebrow at him. “And just how exactly do you suggest we do this?”

Alpha said nothing in response. His gaze shifted upward, possibly towards either the steeples or the clouds. Which one, Cadence didn’t know, but it wasn’t long until-

“Whoops.”

She watched in shock as Alpha kicked over one of the saint statues behind him, a smirk clearly present on his face behind the mask. The figure cracked upon hitting the concrete, leaving fissures across the person’s body and face. “Alpha, what-”

The Ghoul stepped away from the wall and tilted his mask up, screaming as he kept his gaze fixated upwards.

“So much for your God protecting this holy temple, huh Michael?!”

Cadence was horrified by the screaming. What was he doing?! What happened to not wanting to draw attention?!

Alpha kicked over another statue with glee. “Look at this mess I’m making, with no one around to stop me!” He toppled a third, sending bits of stone scattering across the ground. “I’ll bet I can just walk riiiight in and burn down the rest no problem!”

Cadence grabbed him forcefully by the shirt and pulled him away from the wall. “Alpha, what the hell are you doing?!” she hissed.

The Fire Ghoul’s grin widened. “Isn’t it obvious? I’m pissing him off.”

What?! Had he gone mad? “But-”

“If there’s one thing that really angers Michael, it’s insulting this religion he’s joined.” He soon untangled himself from Cadence’s grasp. “So I’m going to use that fact to lure him right to us.”

Something caught Cadence’s eye in that moment and she flinched, reaching for her dagger. Alpha quickly noticed it too, and soon snatched it out of the air, holding it in front of his face. It was a feather, white as snow, glittering in the sunlight like polished diamonds.

He grinned as the realization hit him, and before long elation shone in his eyes like brightly burning embers as he looked down at Cadence.

“See? What did I tell you?” He turned, returning his gaze upwards, and once again started to scream. “Show yourself you angel bastard!”

Cadence followed the Ghoul’s gaze, her grip on her dagger tightening as her nervousness grew. Unfortunately, the young acolyte did not have much time to prepare herself, as it wasn’t long before she saw a winged figure standing atop the tallest steeple, staring down at them.


	6. Flare

A plethora of mixed emotions flooded Cadence’s head as she stared up at the angel. A part of her was relieved that she wouldn’t be forced to pick Michael out of a large group of people like she had failed to do with Gabriel. However, the fact that one of her enemies was currently in her presence, towering over her, made her extremely apprehensive.

Alpha, on the other hand, couldn’t have been more ecstatic. “Finally, you decide to show yourself!” He grinned as he folded his arms across his chest. “Guess you’re not so much of a coward after all.”

The angel’s wings rustled once as he glared down at the Ghoul. He was silent, as if judging him.

“I’ve been wanting to face you again since the moment we set foot back in this realm,” Alpha declared, continuing his rambling. He momentarily looked at the ground, glancing around at the toppled, broken statues. “You know, you could’ve saved me a lot of trouble and prevented this mess from happening if you’d just shown up after our rituals instead of sending your animals.”

Again, Alpha’s words were met with silence, but only for a moment. Without saying a word, Michael slowly descended until he was standing on the roof below him, closer to the ground. Now Cadence could finally see him better. He still had the same pale skin, glittering white wings, and short, shaggy brown hair. The scar on the right side of his face was still prevalent, even now years later. His scarlet eyes were firmly fixed on Alpha as he finally spoke.

“All these years and yet you still talk too much, Ghoul.” His eyes narrowed in disgust. “Still so full of pride.” With a snap of his fingers, the angel’s sword appeared in his hand. “I think the Lord would prefer it if I cut out your tongue.”

Alpha snickered at his remark. “Well why don’t you go ask him?” He turned his head to look around, as if he were searching for someone. “But then again, I’m still not quite convinced that this God of yours even exists…”

Michael’s grip on his sword tightened and his hand shook as his anger seemed to momentarily increase. “His word states that there is a time to speak, and a time to be silent. And clearly, you need to be taught on the latter.”

“You wanna cut out my tongue that badly? You think that’s going to stop me?” With a grin, Alpha took his lighter out of his pocket, gripping it with an eager tightness. “Fine, let’s see if you can actually take it this time!”

Michael quickly took notice of the lighter in Alpha’s hand, but he did not move from his spot on the roof. He did not seem very eager to comply with the Ghoul’s demands.

A frown formed on Alpha’s face as he realized this. “Hey, I said come face me!” he yelled, quickly growing frustrated.

Realizing that the angel hadn’t seemed to notice her yet, Cadence took the moment to observe Michael a bit more. After a few seconds, she suddenly realized something.

“Is he… still wearing his Opus robes?” she asked.

It certainly seemed that way, for she could plainly see the silver cross pin he always used to wear decorating his outfit near the center of his chest. The white robes, however, appeared to have been turned haphazardly into a makeshift sleeveless shirt, and the dark pants were decorated with many sewn in patches of fabric. He still wore silver armor over his forearms, but now also over his knees as well.

The young acolyte stiffened as Michael soon turned in her direction, nearly cursing under her breath. She hadn’t realized she had spoken out loud.

The angel eyed her curiously, as if not fully believing what he was seeing.

“Is that… the Countess?” he asked, a smile beginning to curl his lips.

With a flap of his wings, he descended from the rooftop, landing effortlessly on the ground in front of Cadence. The young acolyte found herself frozen with fear as he stepped closer to her.

“...Yes, I recognize those eyes.” His smile lingered as he met her anxious gaze. “It’s been a long time, Countess. I’m honestly surprised that you’re still alive. You must be very grateful for that.” As he spoke, there was a hint of avidity in his eyes, and he boldly stepped forward again. “But you should be very careful, Countess. You never know when one of us could strike!”

Cadence gasped and stepped back as Michael swung his sword at her without warning, the blade just narrowly missing her neck. She quickly unsheathed her dagger and pointed her blade at him, preparing to defend herself. Deep down, she wanted to stay strong. She tried to not think about the horrific outcomes of the battles in her past lives- not the massacres of Opus, nor the burning of Infestissumam. Unfortunately, her trembling hands betrayed her.

Michael’s grin widened as he noticed her shaking. “You, of all people, showing fear.” A quiet laugh left the angel as his scarlet eyes met her lavender ones. “Looks like Gabriel was right about you.”

A ball of fire exploded near Michael’s feet. Immediately, the angel held up his hand to cover himself, causing his circular red and black shield to materialize out of thin air. Holding her weapon close as she jumped back, Cadence looked over to see Alpha with his hand extended in their direction, indicating he had been the one to send the blast towards them. He glared at Michael as he lit another flame with his lighter.

“Pay attention to me!” the Ghoul yelled, his frustration clearly growing.

Michael’s smile disappeared upon hearing Alpha once again demand regard from him. Gripping his sword tightly, the angel slowly turned to face him. “Did Emeritus not teach you restraint?”

“I told you before that if anyone was gonna kick your ass, it would be me and no one else.” Alpha adjusted his mask proudly. “So stop wasting your time with a weakling like her and fight someone who will actually give you a challenge.” A smirk formed on the Ghoul’s face. “Like yours truly.”

Cadence stared in shock. Again with the comparisons, and in front of their enemy, no less?! The nerve-!

The angel’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. He cast one final glance in Cadence’s direction before turning away again, heading toward Alpha with a confident stride.

Alpha grinned underneath his mask. Finally, he was about to get what he wanted. His mind raced with elated thoughts as he strengthened and increased the tiny flame with a mere twitch of his fingers, sending it flying at the angel with another wave of his hand. Michael merely knocked the blast of magic out of the way with his shield, completely unphased. Still, the Ghoul was persistent, and attempted this fiery assault twice more before sidestepping to avoid the angel’s blade.

He swung his leg, aiming for Michael’s face, but was blocked again and soon jumped, raising his fist to deal another blow. It didn’t matter to Alpha that all his attacks were being blocked. No, the pure adrenaline he felt coursing through him with each blow was so satisfying.

Holding the lighter in his other hand, he lit another flame. Fire immediately engulfed his entire raised fist, but the Ghoul felt no pain from it. He brought it down intending to strike with full force. But despite how the blow managed to push Michael back, his shield still held after the flames dissipated. The angel quickly used it to shove Alpha back, only for the Ghoul to land back on his feet with ease.

Gripping her dagger tightly, Cadence bolted forward, prepared to help Alpha any way she could. However, what she wasn’t prepared for was the ball of fire he immediately sent her way. The girl stopped in her tracks, crying out in alarm and covering her face as the flames exploded near her feet. Only when she no longer felt the searing heat did she lower her arms, shooting a look of anger and confusion at her bandmate. “Alpha-!”

The Ghoul’s smile vanished as he glared back at her. “He’s mine to fight,” he yelled back.

The distraction suddenly gave Michael a chance to strike and he took it, tackling Alpha to the ground. Once again, Cadence desperately tried to run over and help, but Espen stopped her before she could get far. 

“You heard him,” the bengal cat familiar said. “He doesn’t want your help.”

Cadence couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “But he’s in trouble!” she argued.

Ignoring the commotion, Michael gripped Alpha’s throat tightly with one hand.

“So selfish of you, Alpha,” he remarked. “You really wish for the satisfaction of defeating me yourself?”

Alpha grinned underneath his mask despite the fact that he was being held down. “I longed for it the moment you showed your face again after the Opus attack.” He gripped Michael’s wrist with an eager tightness. “And I won’t stop until I get it.”

“Well then, if that’s the case…”

Without warning, Michael lifted Alpha off the ground with a single flap of his wings.

“...I’ll give you the satisfaction of trying.”

Before Cadence could do anything to stop him, Michael flew at the large stained glass window, carrying Alpha with him as he smashed through it. Shards of red, orange, blue, and green fell around the young acolyte as she bolted forward, refusing to let Espen stop her this time. There was no way in hell Alpha was fighting Michael alone, even if that was what he wanted. When she was close to the wall, she jumped, placing a hand on the back of her neck.

“Liam!” She called her familiar’s name as her feet left the ground. He caught her before she could descend, enveloping her in black smoke as the two of them ascended towards the opening.

Quickly, Cadence sliced her palm with her dagger. Blood began trickling out of the cut, but she ignored the stinging pain that accompanied it. She could begin to make out the shapes that were Alpha and Michael locked in combat as the smoke around her started to clear. Feeling herself begin to descend, she focused her energy towards her bleeding palm until finally-

“Qui vocat!” Sanguineum materialized in her hand and she swung. The blade collided with a resounding clang, and as the smoke vanished completely Cadence saw that she’d managed to block Michael’s sword.

Michael’s face remained stoic, although there was a momentary flash of surprise in his eyes. He quickly met Cadence’s gaze. “Finally joining us, Countess?” he asked, a faint smile beginning to curl his lips.

The young acolyte nearly smirked at Alpha as she felt a sudden surge of pride. Finally, she could prove herself to her bandmate that she could be useful.

Unfortunately, the Ghoul had other plans. Before Cadence could do anything else, he grabbed her by the shoulders and shoved her aside. “I told you to stay out of my way!” he shouted.

Cadence gritted her teeth as she hit the ground hard, but quickly recovered and plunged her sword down. As she pushed herself back up, she watched as Alpha ran at Michael, dodging attacks as easily as he dished out his own. The two of them did not seem to care where in the church their battle ended up. All that mattered was the battle at hand.

The young acolyte started forward, but quickly stopped as she noticed something. Her eyes went down to the floor, widening as she noticed a glowing red gash near her feet. Looking around, Cadence saw that this wasn’t the only fissure present in the church. They covered the floor, the walls, even the steps leading up to the altar, too numerous to count. Her apprehension grew the longer she took in her surroundings. This was not a good sign.

She quickly returned her attention to Alpha and Michael, who were back to fighting each other as if she’d never attempted to intervene. Despite still having not summoned any sort of weapon, the Ghoul was still managing to hold his own against the angel. With every attack Michael attempted to land, Alpha managed to avoid them.

But upon closer inspection, Cadence soon realized something else. Every time Michael swung his sword, he would leave a new glowing red gash in whatever surface was in front of him. It soon hit her - Michael wasn’t trying to attack Alpha.  
He was preparing to summon monsters.

A bolt of panic raced through her as she ran towards the combatants. “Alpha, wait!”

But she halted as one of the red fissures in front of her suddenly glowed brighter. She held her sword close as a dark crimson paw emerged from the ground, then a second, and before long the monster revealed itself entirely. It seemed to resemble a wolf. It was black, like a shadow, with the tips of its fur colored a faint silvery gray. The paws, mane, chest, and tip of its tail were all a deep red, as if those parts of its body had already been smeared with blood. Cadence’s grip on her sword tightened as the creature laid its glowing red eyes on her. Before long, more identical-looking monsters began to emerge from fissures elsewhere in the church. Deep down, the young acolyte felt afraid, but now was not the time to be a coward.

She lunged forward, skewering the wolf as it attempted to strike her. The monster immediately went limp and dissolved into dust before her eyes. Pride surged through Cadence again, but she soon remembered to not let her guard down. Three more wolves jumped at her as she turned. She swung, easily cutting down the first and wounding the second so she could kick it away. But her sword only lightly wounded the third and she soon found herself pinned to the ground by the monster. She could feel its hot breath on her face as its muzzle inched closer. Her hands trembled as the low growl reached her ears. Without warning, the beast flashed its pointed teeth with a snarl and she panicked, clamping her hands over its muzzle. She pushed back with all her might, trying to keep the creature at bay. Turning her head, the girl saw that Michael was standing only a few feet away from her, watching intently. A smile spread across his scarred face as he met her eyes.

“Such fascinating creatures, aren’t they?” he asked. “It’s not everyday that the Lord blesses someone with such a gift.”

Cadence’s eyes widened as his words registered, then quickly narrowed in fury. After everything that had happened - the revolt, the thievings, the countless murders - he had the audacity to say that?! “You and the others stole potions for your powers!” she stated. She pushed back against the wolf even more as it attempted to lunge at her again. “You weren’t blessed with anything!”

“And you’re somehow superior because you were?” The angel gave a laugh, as if finding her logic to be funny. He smiled as he continued to watch Cadence struggle. All the while, more wolves crept over to where she lay. “My Lusus feed off of sins. And you, Countess, are burdened with thousands.”

Gritting her teeth, Cadence unsheathed her dagger and plunged it into the wolf’s head, right between the eyes. She frantically continued stabbing that area over and over, not wanting to become caught in the monster’s jaws. After a single sharp kick she scrambled away. The wolf dissolved into dust as Cadence stood, grabbing her sword from off the ground. Michael was still smiling as she pointed the blade directly at him.

“They’ll grow stronger as they remain in your presence,” the angel said, raising his own weapon. “Before long, you’ll be powerless to stop them, Countess.”

He was about to strike Cadence with his sword when he was suddenly knocked to the ground from behind. 

Cadence stared in shock, quickly realizing that the assailant had been Alpha, only this time the Ghoul now held something else in his hands. It was a long, silver guan dao halberd, with a pole speckled in vibrant reds, oranges, and golds.

Alpha grinned triumphantly underneath his mask as he stared the angel down. “You really thought you could just leave me with a bunch of emo dogs and expect me to miss out on all the action?” he asked.

Michael gritted his teeth as he pushed himself off the floor, gripping his sword tightly. The Lusus wolves growled as he turned his head, as if matching the anger that raced through the angel.

“This fight is far from over, Ghoul,” he said.

Cadence gripped Sanguineum tightly, focusing on the dangers surrounding both her and Alpha. Deep down, she felt that the angel was right - this fight truly was far from over. And if that was the case…

Staring into the eyes of the wolf standing in front of her, the young acolyte began to desperately wish Papa or Omega were with her. Either one of them would’ve known what to say to ease her mind. At this moment, only one question raced through her head.

Could she really hold out until the end?


	7. Hellfire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost exactly a month later and it's finally back! Enjoy

Even with the number of Lusus wolves she and Alpha had already slain, it wasn’t enough. Cadence could see that there was still a large number of monsters surrounding them. She tried to stay calm as she stared the beasts down, but the multitude of possible outcomes racing through her head only continued to make her wary. The young acolyte stuck close to Alpha as she gripped her sword tightly.

“H-how about this…” she said, keeping her voice down so that only the Ghoul would hear. “I’ll take the ones on the left, while you go for the ones on the right.”

Alpha, however, was still clearly focused on completing his own agenda rather than working with Cadence on hers. Once again, he laughed at her suggestion.

"Yeah, you go ahead and try to use strategy,” the Fire Ghoul said, not even bothering to keep his voice down. Grinning, he pointed the blade of his halberd at the closest wolf. “The only thing that matters to me is tearing through as many of these abominations as possible.”

Michael glared at Alpha upon hearing that statement. “I could say the same about you and your clergy, Ghoul.” With a flap of his wings, the angel flew so that he was standing closer to the altar. “You and the Countess are both unholy creations of Lucifer with no chance of being redeemed.” He then smiled proudly. “But I, on the other hand, have purified myself by following God’s word.”

Cadence’s anger rose the longer she listened to Michael. She couldn’t believe it. The angel had really managed to delude himself. Without warning, she lashed out at one of the wolves with a loud yell, knocking it down with a single slash before plunging her blade into the creature’s body repeatedly. The rest of the steadily-growing pack did not even flinch as their slain member dissolved into dust before Cadence’s eyes. The young acolyte was breathing heavily as she rose, gripping Sanguineum so tightly her hands hurt as they trembled. All was silent for only a moment as she hesitated before speaking.

“...Don’t play dumb,” she spat, keeping her head down to avoid meeting Michael’s eyes. “I haven’t forgotten what you did back in Opus.” The memories raced through her head, increasing her rage. She gritted her teeth as she raised her head. “You’re not as pure as you claim. You were created as we were, so Lucifer still has a strong hold on you, even now.”

Immediately, Michael’s smile disappeared. He glanced down at his sword and sighed quietly.

“I know, Countess,” he responded. “I’ve known for centuries.”

Briefly, the angel turned back to glance at the broken stained glass window behind him. Some of the scenes within it were still intact. It took Cadence a moment to realize that Michael’s attention was focused on the image of an angel. This heavenly being depicted in the glass did appear to mostly resemble Michael, but with a more gentle demeanor and no scars or red eyes.

“I’ve tried to purge myself of it countless times before, yet it never worked,” Michael said. “But now… I know that to completely cleanse myself of sin, I need to free myself of my past.”

At that moment, it occurred to Cadence that the wolves were beginning to growl again. The realization made her body stiffen with increasing fear. 

Michael slowly turned away from the window to meet Cadence’s fearful gaze. His eyes seemed to match those of the monsters he’d summoned - cold, calculating, and predatory.

“Killing you and the others will finally complete my penance.”

As if they’d been commanded to do so, a large multitude of the wolves descended upon the two acolytes. Cadence began to back away in alarm, caught completely unprepared for the sudden ambush. Still, she attempted to push away her fear as she shakily raised her sword again, but Alpha was quicker, hacking away at the tenebrous pack with large swings of his own blade.

“I swear, I have to do everything around here…” he muttered. The Fire Ghoul grabbed his lighter, quickly lit it, and threw it on the ground in front of him. In the blink of an eye, large red-orange flames grew and surrounded both him and Cadence in a large dome, protecting them from the hoard while simultaneously burning away any who dared to get too close into nothing but ashes. Without even bothering to look over at Cadence, he held out his hand. “Blood. Now.”

“What?! No!” Cadence quickly held onto her sheathed dagger, not wanting Alpha to take it from her. The repercussions of what had happened after she’d given Earth her blood still weighed heavily on her mind. She did not want a repeat of that moment to occur.

The guitarist huffed in annoyance. He turned, glaring at Cadence from behind his mask. The flames which still currently surrounded them reflected off the silver demon-like accessory. “Look, do you want to keep struggling and risk being killed by these things, or would you rather have my help and get this over with sooner?” He looked at her impatiently, as if question why in the world she was hesitating. 

Cadence sighed, realizing that Alpha had a point. Even with all the training she had been through over the past few months, the Fire Ghoul was still better at fighting than she was. He had a much better chance of wiping out the entire pack, especially if he had some of her blood to help. Slowly, she made her way over to him, rolling up her sleeve to expose her forearm. The young acolyte then shut her eyes, turning away slightly as she brought her blade down, opening a fresh wound. 

Immediately, Alpha grabbed Cadence’s wrist and nearly tore off his mask as he brought the bleeding gash to his mouth. The young acolyte trembled as he began to consume the blood without any hesitation. His nails dug into her skin as he drank it greedily in large gulps, not caring how much he took, and Cadence didn’t stop him. All that mattered was allowing her strength to flow into him. 

He pulled back abruptly with a sharp gasp, panting as his irises slowly took on a familiar glowing red hue. Cadence felt her legs give out from under her as Alpha released her from his tight grasp. He took his time getting back up, his body beginning to shake as the blood continued to take its effects. A grin slowly started to form on the Fire Ghoul’s face. He almost resembled an actual demon of Hell as he stood amongst the blazing flames around them. He then began to laugh. It was maniacal, deranged, and as he turned to face the horde of monsters that were still behind the circle of fire he gripped his halberd with such an eager tightness it seemed that his knuckles would turn white.

“You’re dead!” he shouted. “Dead! I’ll slaughter every last one of you!”

Alpha rushed forward as the flames disappeared, swinging his weapon wildly at any wolf that dared to step too close. They fell with ease, disintegrating in a matter of seconds thanks to his increased strength. All the while, a wild grin remained on the Ghoul’s face behind the silver mask.

Cadence winced as she struggled to push herself up off the floor. She hadn’t used up that much blood in a long time. Her entire body felt heavy, and her hands were beginning to feel a little numb. Her head ached as she tried to think straight. ‘Don’t stay still,’ her mind told her. ‘Move.” Her hand shook as she reached for her sword, gripping the hilt tightly as a means to feel some sense of security. But even with the extra support, it wasn’t enough. 

The young acolyte glanced down at her hand, eyeing some of the crimson drops of blood that had managed to trail down her arm as the wound was beginning to close up. Quickly, she brought her fingers to her mouth and licked a little of the blood off. She immediately felt her strength return as power surged through her, allowing her to get back onto her feet as her lavender irises began to glow bright red.

She held Sanguinuem high as some of the wolves lunged at her. With every swing of her sword, the young acolyte’s smile widened. The fact that she was surrounded by vicious monsters was suddenly so thrilling to her. She ran for the largest group, swinging wildly to inflict as much damage as possible. Just like with Alpha, the wolves were slain with little effort. All it took was a few slashes to knock each one down.

One of the wolves’ claws dug into Cadence’s skin as it lunged at her, scratching her deeply on her exposed forearm. She gritted her teeth, growling in pain as she recoiled for only a split second before kicking it in the jaw, sending it sprawling onto the ground on its back. Immediately, she plunged her sword into its body multiple times, ensuring that the creature suffered properly before it dissolved into dust. The young acolyte continued this relentless assault on every Lusus that crossed her path, all the while keeping a maniacal smile on her face.

But the effects couldn’t last forever with how little blood she’d consumed. Cadence fell to her knees as the red glow around her eyes disappeared, exhausted after the endeavor. When she looked up, the girl saw that Michael was standing nearby, watching her. Upon meeting Cadence’s gaze, he immediately gripped his sword tighter and strode over to her.

“I’ve met countless sinners in my life,” the angel said. “But you were always the worst.”

Cadence scrambled to her feet as he swung, deflecting his blade with her own. She felt her fear return for a split second, but it wasn’t enough to fully hinder her skills. She felt adrenaline rush through her as she retaliated. Their blades were quickly locked in a flurry of steel, each wielder attempting to outdo the other. The young acolyte continued to hold her own until exhaustion caught up with her again, allowing Michael to hit her with his shield before knocking her down with a sharp kick to the jaw. Sanguineum vanished from the excessive use as Cadence hit the ground hard, holding a hand to her aching face as she squeezed her eyes shut. The girl tried to reach for her dagger, only to cry out as Michael forcefully trapped her arm with his foot, pinning it in place. His scarlet eyes seemed to burn with hate as he stared down at her.

“The Lord will be pleased when I rid this realm of you,” he said, raising his sword.

Cadence shut her eyes tightly again. She tried desperately to move, but couldn’t. Her muscles ached with every attempt, and Michael currently prevented her from drinking any more of her blood with the way he had her arm pinned down. Her injuries stung, refusing to heal due to the fear and panic that were rushing through her head.

But just as the angel raised his sword to strike her, Alpha rushed in without warning. The Ghoul had Michael’s full attention as he attacked with wide swings of his halberd and occasional blasts of fire magic. After shoving the angel back with a few powerful strikes, he momentarily stopped, gripping his weapon tightly.

“Finally!” he exclaimed, grinning underneath his mask. “I’ve got you all to myself.”

The Ghoul rushed forward again before Michael could even get a chance to respond. His movements were wild and erratic as the lingering effects of Cadence’s blood made him focus only on attacking his enemy. But Michael held his ground, not showing any signs of frailty as he retaliated.

Cadence’s body trembled slightly as she pushed herself up, keeping an eye on her bandmate as he fought. Her worry increased the farther the two fighters moved away from her. Alpha was still completely out of control. If the effects of her blood didn’t wear off soon…

She watched in horror as Michael deflected an attack that left Alpha wide open, then swung his sword at the Ghoul’s chest. The wound that was produced was deep, causing Alpha to double over in pain as he dropped his weapon. The red glow around his eyes vanished. His hands clawed at the gash, desperately trying to stop the blood flow. It wasn’t long before he collapsed onto the hard tile floor.

This couldn’t be happening. The memories of the Opus lifetime flashed through Cadence’s head. After all of those Michael had killed back then, they couldn’t lose another. They couldn’t...!

“NO!” A surge of adrenaline rushed through Cadence as she watched Michael preparing to raise his sword again. Her footsteps were loud against the tile floor as she ran as fast as she could. She shut her eyes tightly as she stood before her fallen bandmate, guarding him as Michael brought the blade down.

‘I don’t care how badly I get hurt,” the young acolyte thought as she held up her arms. “I’ll take the blow. I just want Alpha alive-!”

It took the girl a few seconds that the strike she’d been expecting never came. Cautiously, she cracked her eyes open and was shocked to see that Michael’s sword was now blocked by something attached to her injured arm. Her eyes widened as she recognized it immediately.

Her old shield. Kerstin’s shield.

Michael’s scarlet eyes clearly showed his shock and frustration as he backed away. “What?!”

All of a sudden, Cadence felt a rush of confidence she hadn’t experienced during battle in a long time. She rushed forward, ducking under Michael’s blade as he swung at her, while holding out her other hand so that the blade grazed her palm. The moment she noticed that blood had been drawn, she shouted the summoning phrase, causing Sanguineum to finally reappear. This time, her strikes were strategic and well-placed, and her attempts to guard herself from attacks were not frantic in the slightest.

She could remember her past battles - how the angels would fight against her and how she’d used her powers to nearly apprehend them. Cadence continued to hold her ground against Michael, waiting patiently for an opening. The moment she saw it she swung with all her strength, and it was then that the mighty angel fell at her feet.

Breathing heavily, Cadence stared down at Michael in disbelief. Had she really done it?

Her thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of pained groans coming from behind her. She turned with a start and quickly ran over to where Alpha lay, kneeling down beside him. 

"Alpha!" Cadence carefully helped the Ghoul sit up as he tried to push himself off the floor. She urgently deepened the still-bleeding wound on her palm with her blade. “Just hang on. You’re gonna be alright.”

The guitarist winced and cursed underneath his breath as Cadenced pressed her blood-covered hand to the gash on his chest. Slowly, he cracked his eyes open as the wound began to heal, immediately glancing over at where Michael still lay. “You… you actually got him?”

But it was then at that moment that the two acolytes watched the angel slowly get up onto his feet, holding a hand to where Cadence had wounded him. The look in his scarlet eyes was filled with absolute fury as he glared at them.

“This isn’t over,” he growled.

The angel flapped his wings, beginning to lift himself off the floor. Immediately, Alpha grabbed Cadence’s dagger and threw it at Michael, but the winged being managed to avoid the knife as he flew higher.

Alpha watched Michael disappear out of the broken stained glass window in disbelief before turning his head to glare at Cadence. “You let him get away?!” he yelled.

Cadence frowned. “I was healing your wound! I wasn’t going to just let you bleed to death!”

The Ghoul opened his mouth to argue, but stopped himself upon hearing something. He glanced around the sanctuary. “...You hear that?” he asked Cadence, lowering his voice.

She did. It was a faint, low growling, like the sound a famished beast would make while stalking its prey from the shadows.

And that was when Cadence saw it - a glowing red gash at the opposite end of the room on the floor, much larger than any of the others Michael had made earlier. It seemed to hum with magical energy as it began to glow even brighter, washing the wall behind it in an intense, scarlet light.

And then, Cadence watched as a massive black claw emerged from the crevice.


End file.
